| Duke Street, St James's | |
| Length Km: | 0.22 |
| Location: | St James's, London, United Kingdom |
| Metro System: | Tube |
| Coordinates: | 51.5076°N -0.138°W |
| North: | Piccadilly |
| South: | King Street |
| Known For: | Art galleries |
Duke Street, St James's is a street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, London. It runs from Piccadilly in the north to King Street in the south, and is crossed by Jermyn Street. Ryder Street joins it on the western side. On the eastern side it provides access to Masons Yard. The upmarket department store Fortnum & Mason[1] occupies the north-west corner.
Duke Street first appeared in the rate books of the parish of St. Martin in the Fields in 1673.[2] It is likely that it was named in honour of James, Duke of York, later James II.[2] Building of the street was completed in the 1680s, though none of the original houses remain.
The Chequers Tavern, at No. 16, occupies a site that has been a public house has since 1732, when Henry Mason, the then occupant, was granted a victualler's licence for an unnamed tavern.[3] His successor was Robert Morgoridge, and William Morgridge was granted a victualler's licence for the Mason's Arms in Duke Street in 1744. By 1751, the name of the tavern had been changed to the Chequers.[2] Mason's Yard is now located to the east of Duke Street.
Notable residents of Duke Street include:[4]
A lodger in Duke Street, St James's was Edmund Burke, who dated letters from here between December 1790 and March 1791, and in January 1794.[5]
“The street is now a centre of fine art dealers and galleries”[8] Forming part of the St James's Art District, Duke Street is an important location for its concentration of art galleries, covering modern and contemporary art, sculpture, old masters and tapestries. It includes the premises of Bernard Jacobson Gallery, Willow Gallery, Thomas Heneage, S Franses Ltd, MacConnal-Mason Galleries, Sims Reed Rare Books and Whitford Fine Art.